Dominican Republic cheese market

The Dominican Republic is the largest Caribbean cheese market in the database. Zenith puts consumption at more than 75,000 tonnes in 2025, or around 7 kg per person.

Consumption grew by more than 8% a year between 2020 and 2025, among the fastest rates in the Americas. Zenith expects growth of around 3% a year to 2030, passing 87,000 tonnes.

The Dominican Republic is import-dependent. Imports supply more than half of consumption, while domestic producers focus on fresh and semi-hard cheeses for the home market. Tourism and foodservice are an important part of demand.

The Zenith Global Cheese Database 2026 covers the Dominican Republic with production, imports, exports and consumption for 39 cheese types, actuals from 2020 to 2025 and forecasts to 2030. Volume data covers totals, broad categories and separately measured cheese types, in tonnes. Consumer retail value covers total cheese only, in local currency and USD; import and export trade values cover HS 0406 total only, in USD. Monetary values are not broken down by individual cheese type or broad category. Retail shelf prices cover total cheese and five broad categories: hard and semi-hard, fresh, mould, processed, and other non-specified cheese, in local currency/kg and USD/kg, not individual prices for all 39 cheese types. Import and export unit prices cover HS 0406 total and available HS subheadings, in USD/kg. Retail value is estimated retail volume multiplied by regular shelf prices, including sales tax. Trade values are customs values, using CIF for imports and FOB for exports. Production is measured as formally manufactured cheese.